Blessings and Sadness all in One Day

it was really great being at Brighton Beach today.

Everything I hoped to find there at the shops, I did find.

And my friend and I enjoyed a really nice lunch together as well. 

I may share more about that later.

I really did have a very nice time, great lunch and then all of our

shopping (and lots of window shopping!) got done successfully... 

***

Two hard things happened today though / were on my mind.

One more thing was also on my mind but I have not heard of 

the outcome yet.

***

First, my friend with her very ill Mother, who my Husband and I felt

was in her last days or hours. 

Second, my sister and brother-in-law's foster son having a court case 

about the direction of it; of course they are hoping to adopt him;

they have already adopted his half-sister, my most cute 3 year old niece. 

Third, L. from church was moving from one nursing facility to another

that is also thankfully close by/in our NJ city.

I do hope that worked out well.  She still needs oxygen and is very frail. 

***

I left the house after breakfast and praying... I had lit a special candle for my 

foster nephew (the cutest 7 month old boy ever of course!) 

(I did not let this candle burn when I left the house however).... 

This candle was given to me by a local friend who saw a holy icon of the Mother of God and got the candle
for me at that time

and left having a new candle lit for my friend's Mom... 

By lunch I heard from my sister:

The judge would not even consider the [termination of rights] case for

her foster son.  I can't go into more details but it is, in it's entirety, quite distressing. 

***

I did feel so fortified by the meal for this awful news.

[I know God is still in control but from my limited perspective this seems 

most distressing].

Eating the food reminded me of being at my Ottawa Ukrainian family's home...

the salad, the way we eat it together... it was really nice and I felt completely at home...

And I was able to go shopping and found some tea, a jar of honey, a jar of jam,

Russian cookies and Bilini (thin Russian style crepes).

In other words, my kind of comfort foods. 

(And the crepes DV are for a future meal with friends).

So, we went back home and when we were at the World Trade Centre,

where we then take another train to New Jersey,

my friend texted me: 

Her Mom had passed away that morning.

I felt so sad for my friend; I never met her Mom but had talked to her on the phone

and just 2 weeks ago when I saw my friend, I told her to give my regards

to her Mother.  She had cancer, was elderly, but she went much faster

than I or my friend thought... so that was really sad...

***

I was really glad that I had lit that candle for her Mother that morning... 

it was so beautiful and bright when I came home... 

In the end, THIS is what matters:

That Christ has come, is here and is Risen from the Dead and that

NOTHING can overcome Christ's light, His love the HOPE we have.

As the priest sings at the beginning of our Easter (Pascha) service:

Come and receive the light from the Light that is never overtaken by night. 

Come glorify Christ, risen from the dead.

***

I am so glad we have that hope.

My heart is heavy tonight.

I so want my sister to adopt her foster son.  

I want another child to love, a nephew.

I am grieved at my friend's loss and she and her Mother were 

so so close, this is going to be terribly hard. 

***

We are going towards Lent now and all I can really say is

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.